A temporary fitness facility set up by sports trust Abbeycroft Leisure and St Edmundsbury Borough Council to replace those closed during the refurbishment of Haverhill Leisure Centre has been hailed a success.

The leisure centre closed in June for a year-long, £5m upgrade, funded by St Edmundsbury Borough Council, but local residents can keep up their fitness regimes in The Pod, which has been constructed on land next to the centre. The facility includes a 60-station fitness suite, 25-capacity group exercise studio and showers and toilets. Around 900 members have been regularly using The Pod.

Warren Smyth, chief executive of Abbeycroft Leisure, said: "The Pod has been extremely successful and we are pleased that the facilities have been so well received by our customers. "This project has enabled the local community to remain active during the 12 months its leisure centre will be closed, which is important to maintaining fitness and wellbeing in Haverhill."

The building was supplied by Spacio Tempo and fitness equipment supplier Life Fitness assisted with transporting The Pod to its new home. Once work on Haverhill Leisure Centre is complete it will include an extended fitness studio with new changing facilities, a new pool changing village, poolside spectator area and new reception area. It is scheduled to reopen in July 2009.